Honestly, what we will examine is hardly ancient (certainly not by the definitive of the term), but it is old. This section of the course is really student generated. It is up to you to research and learn about a particular topic from East Asian history, i.e. Chinese Dynasties. The only caveat is that topic must come before the beginning of western colonization of the region (early 18th century).
Essential Questions
Below are three questions. Any one of which might be selected for your essay test at the end of this unit. As you work through this section be sure to prepare notes for this test by jotting down ideas you are acquiring for each of these questions.
Should the Yi Dynasty (Chosun Dynasty) be considered the golden age in Korean history?
To what extent is isolation (as that pursued by the Tokugawa bakufu) ever to a nation’s benefit?
What dynasty in China's history should be considered the greatest and why?
The Three Myths
Complete the chart attached here and upload it to Google Docs. This is a homework assignment.
Objective: To learn the purpose of myths and how they connect to a national identity.
At some point in your life as a student, you were probably introduced to Ancient Chinese history in one form or another. This orientation probably consisted of an eye-glazing, mind-numbing cacophony of unfamiliar names, dates and events. Rather than repeat that process, I would like to challenge you to examine one particular dynasty. What sorts of criteria would we use to determine greatness of a dynasty or a country? Consider the following questions as a class:
Why does your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?"
Why doesn't your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?"
What collective impact have all dynasties had on Chinese civilization up to the present day?
To research your dynasty, you and a partner examine the readings from our text, and research using ABC-CLIO (kis and welcome). Be sure to also use the link above to Chinese Dynasties Time Line. Come to the your scheduled class prepared to debate with your classmates "for" or "against" your dynasty in a formal debate. The winner of the debate will be crowned with the Chinese Dynasty Crown.
Your dynasty and partner are posted under your class.
To organize your notes, use the following document for information.
Note: For a complete mark out of 25 (20 for the debate and 5 for having completed the chart above) The above chart when completed should be uploaded to Google as per my usual instructions. Rubric for Chinese Dynasty Smackdown
What Must Be Done Before the Smackdown
First off, this is really a debate, but there are so many teams that you won't be able to attack all of them. So just focus on attacking say three (and do it quickly). This is a learning experience for you. As such I will be seeking to find that you have completed the chart above as part of your preparation. No chart and your team will be penalized on your grade (1/2 point deduction for every box that is incomplete). This is to be done on Google docs. There are also approaches that must also be done on Google docs:
Why does your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?" and Why doesn't your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?"
So, three items must be placed on Google docs, the chart, and two long answer questions. You, your partner and I will be the only ones able to edit your documents. Be sure to set up your documents as follows (you have seen this before): BlockYour last nameYour given name as it appears in Power School and then in parentheses ( ) your English name if you have one and then Smackdown NO COMMAS NO PERIODS
HOW THE SMACK DOWN WILL GO DOWN...AND I MEAN YOU'RE "GOING DOWN" (Wait, I am not playing)
Each team is allotted a maximum of 2 minutes to present why their dynasty is deserving of being called the greatest dynasty in Chinese history. For eleven dynastic teams that is a total of 22 minutes.
Each team is allotted a maximum of 1 minute to attack other dynasties attempting to prove why they're not worthy of contention for being the greatest dynasty in Chinese history. For eleven teams that is 11 minutes.
Finally, each team is allotted a maximum of 2 minutes to provide a rebuttal to any attacks launched against their dynasty, and then to wrap up with a conclusion why they are worthy to be THE GREATEST DYNASTY IN CHINA'S HISTORY. For eleven teams that is 22 minutes.
Your grades will be determined by several factors during this debate (see rubric above):
How well you present your information. Its quality and pertinence to the point you're seeking to make.
How well you construct attacks on other dynasties, and by which you are able to attack. By this I mean many students will simply gang up on three or four of the eleven dynasties, and thus will be simply echoing the words that have already been said. Once your team's turn comes and, say no one has attacked one of the dynasties, then should your team be able to attack said dynasty is says to me that you were so well prepared for this that you could attack anyone rather than following the group. Getting away from that 'lemming approach' means much to me and shows how well you can think fast.
Respect for other groups despite your attacking them. Know this, you are attacking their dynasty and specifically what they might have said about it. Do not reduce this to such statements as, "What you said was stupid...", or "You are being mentally vacuous...". Show respect (Remember the teachings of Confucius).
Your use of voice. Speak clearly and deliberately. Your voice is like punctuation in writing; used correctly it adds much to what you're saying.
OTHER ISSUES OF CONCERN
Absences do not alleviate responsibility for contributions or for the execution of this. By this I mean that if you are absent, then you had better be working with your partner helping them prepare for this. I will look very unfavorably on absences of convenience or evidence of a lack of cooperation for this. Your partner's absence means nothing other than you are going it alone. Both of you had better be prepared in the event one of you is alone for all or for parts of this.
No computers are allowed to be on/open during this event. If you need to use notes, then bring in the hard copies.
This is about how well you can think and communicate on the spot. It is also about how well prepared you are. This is going to take a few nights and days in class to prepare and execute. During this time it is imperative that you become an expert on your own dynasty and be very familiar with all the others. Use your Chinese teachers for this as well. Ask anyone of them the question posed for this and they will all have an answer. You will be impressed. To this end I have informed them that some of you might ask their assistance in terms of responding to that question or another like it. Do note that they will be expressing an opinion supported by evidence. Essentially this is what you will all be doing.
ABOVE ALL ELSE - HAVE FUN, USE HUMOR AND REMEMBER: THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ONE DYNASTY BEING BETTER THAN THE REST - THEY ALL FELL AND THEY ALL MADE SOME SORT OF CONTRIBUTION TO CHINA AND THE WORLD.
Japan in the Tokugawa Era This theme will be an individual effort. You will need to have prepared a Google doc (as you already have). Please give me editing rights. The time frame for this is three classes. An essay outline and quiz to be done at the completion of this theme.
You will have several things to address here. First, you need to have completed your readings in Japan & Korea: A Regional Studies Series (pp. 25-48). Second, you will need to have worked on the DBQs assigned in class. Third, watch the video below, Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire "The Will of the Shogun" (begin watching this at 21:04, "He Spared No One" to the end of this episode). Fourth, go to the Columbia University link at the bottom of this section and take notes on the lectures dealing with "Tokugawa Change". This will help equip you with arguments how isolation can aid in economic development of a nation. From this video, the DBQ work and the reading you should:
Understand the competition between European powers for influence and trade with Japan specifically, and generally with East Asian (China, Korea and South-east Asia).
Understand why Christianity was banned in Japan.
Understand how isolation could actually result in creating conditions that might result in a unique and beautiful culture.
Be able to describe the CAUSE and EFFECT changes which resulted in Japan as a result of the policy of the 'closed country law.'
Go to the above and listen to the brief lectures on "Tokugawa Change" pay special attention to the evolution of the merchant class.
Korean History
Trading Cards for Korean History
Hey this is a whirl-wind of a course. We're in Korea so it is wise that we take a quick peek at its long history. Five thousand years in a speed date event where you present a trading card and explain it. The card is the product. The explanation reminds me of the old saying: "When I teach two learn."
Your class will be creating a timeline of Korean history describing the big events, dynasties, places and people of this incredible history. Let's begin by looking at an interesting history...the history of pizza!
Impressive, right?! I wonder what else Koreans have contributed to the canon of human knowledge and understanding. To begin our study, let's first focus on creating a general time-line of Korean history.
Purpose: To become familiar with Korean history in relation to its neighbors, China and Japan.
Product:An A4 size poster describing the following (your trading card):
The period, person, place or event. That is give the information pertaining to the time period as per years.
What were the dynasties, periods that were running at the same time in China and Japan. If it is an event, i.e. the Rule of T'an Gun, provide the Japanese/Chinese equivalent.
Some kind of image or picture related to the period, person or event.
Describe the characteristics of the period. Describe the significance of the person, place or event in terms of Korean history. For events be sure to mention the consequences for Korea (and her neighbors).
For dynasties be sure to identify the location of their capital city.
Minor project grade: x/15 (Be neat consider using Comic Life)
Due date: TBA
Event: Speed date
Periods/Events/People/Places
Periods:
(Ko) Choson (400-104 BCE)
Three Kingdoms
Koguryo
Paekche
Silla
Silla Unification
Koryo Dynasty
Yi Dynasty
Events:
Mongol conquest of the Korean peninsula
Arrival of Buddhism
Japan's invasion of Korea (see Hideyoshi's invasion)
Japan and Korea Regional Studies Series pp. 207-221
The Journal of Hamel: How Korea's Chosun Era was Seen by The European
Read-Think-Pair-Share
So far you have examined some documents suggesting what life might have been like for a person living in Japan during the Tokugawa Period. The link below is a Dutchman's experience living in Korea from 1653-1666 (See Hamel's Journal and a description of the Kingdom of Korea, 1653-1666). The journal is taken from the writings of Hendrik Hamel.
Read sections that are of interest to you, i.e. Seoul, Religion, Moral Standards, and respond to the questions below.
Before going on to a written answer to the questions, though, share with your partner how you feel about The Journal of Hamel. Was it interesting? Did it capture your imagination? Did it help you understand what life in Korea was like in the middle of the 17th century? Was it biased in any way? Would you view the goings-on in Korea at that time in a similar light?
Be sure to consider the readings under Time and Place Rule and Bias Rule.
Answer each of the questions under the Questions for Analyzing Primary Sources (Be sure to answer the all the questions, be brief).
Respond to the following question: Should Hamel's Journal be used as a resource to instruct high school students about what life was like in Korea from 1653-66?
Your answer should include reflections on the questions above.
Be sure to defend why you choose the response you did.
Keep this entry to between 200 and 250 words.
Hard copy, or Google Doc
"The Cultural Work of King Sejong" by Gari Ledyard - Professor of Korean Studies Emeritus Columbia University, New York City
In preparation for the potentiality of your having to write an essay responding to the question, "Should the Yi Dynasty (Chosun Dynasty) be considered the golden age in Korean history?" you will be reading and teaching about the life and times of King Sejong. What to do:
Read your section as a member of a 'peer teaching group'.
Decide on the important points of the reading as a group using the guided questions as aids.
Prepare a 'mini-lesson' for that section.
Peer teach your section, and
Learn the sections of the other students
Guided Questions (as per section). These should help guide your lesson plan for when you peer teach. Note ALL students read section 6
According to the author, were the common people of Korea 'unaware' of the greatness of Sejong?
What is Sejong's relationship to Yi Songgye (the first king of the Yi Dynasty)?
Why was Prince Ch'ungnyong (Sejong) chosen over his elder brother to become king of Choson? Why might it be concluded that his succession to take the crown is evidence of his father's cleverness?
What was King T'aejong seeking as a legacy he would leave in Korea?
What institution did Sejong reinvigorate and what role did it play in Korean history? How is this institution reminiscent of what was happening in Europe at the same time (Renaissance)?
Provide an example of how Sejong demonstrated that his court was a place of debate and discussion and not one of 'top down' autocratic rule.
Provide evidence of how Sejong sought to chronicle history of various government administrations in Korea. Discuss the complexity and significance of the document he had set up in terms of Korean history. What other dynasty had Sejong sought to record in the annals of history?
Provide two reasons for the development of and information accrued from the surveying of agricultural conditions in Korea.
What is the significance of the origin of Tong' ui pogam (1610)?
Describe one of the observational instruments created under Sejong's reign.
Under the early Choson Dynasty what printing addition was created?
Could we say that Sejong was essentially following the 'scientific method'? Explain.
What was the role of the 'royal tutors' in court politics? How was this different from the Chinese court? What, in your opinion, is the legacy of this in Korean politics to this day? (your opinion counts)
Why might this be seen as an example of Korean factionalism (붕당)? (Related to the question above)
Look up the meaning of the word 'filibuster', how might this have been used to change to course of a king's decision in Sejong's court?
Sejong's decision to allow the crown prince (his son) to administer lesser affairs of state in his father's interest caused considerable stir amongst the government bureaucrats. Why was this so? Explain.
Why might Sejong's allocating responsibility for the research on his alphabet project to the Office of Deliberation (Uisa ch'ong) had been misguided?
Ancient History in East AsiaHonestly, what we will examine is hardly ancient (certainly not by the definitive of the term), but it is old. This section of the course is really student generated. It is up to you to research and learn about a particular topic from East Asian history, i.e. Chinese Dynasties. The only caveat is that topic must come before the beginning of western colonization of the region (early 18th century).
Essential Questions
Below are three questions. Any one of which might be selected for your essay test at the end of this unit. As you work through this section be sure to prepare notes for this test by jotting down ideas you are acquiring for each of these questions.Should the Yi Dynasty (Chosun Dynasty) be considered the golden age in Korean history?
To what extent is isolation (as that pursued by the Tokugawa bakufu) ever to a nation’s benefit?
What dynasty in China's history should be considered the greatest and why?
The Three Myths
Complete the chart attached here and upload it to Google Docs. This is a homework assignment.
Objective: To learn the purpose of myths and how they connect to a national identity.
Be sure to go over the presentations below. Begin with China, then Japan. The contents of these are your responsibility.
Territories of Chinese Dynasties
Chinese Dynasty Smack Down
At some point in your life as a student, you were probably introduced to Ancient Chinese history in one form or another. This orientation probably consisted of an eye-glazing, mind-numbing cacophony of unfamiliar names, dates and events. Rather than repeat that process, I would like to challenge you to examine one particular dynasty. What sorts of criteria would we use to determine greatness of a dynasty or a country? Consider the following questions as a class:
Why does your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?"
Why doesn't your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?"
What collective impact have all dynasties had on Chinese civilization up to the present day?
To research your dynasty, you and a partner examine the readings from our text, and research using ABC-CLIO (kis and welcome). Be sure to also use the link above to Chinese Dynasties Time Line. Come to the your scheduled class prepared to debate with your classmates "for" or "against" your dynasty in a formal debate. The winner of the debate will be crowned with the Chinese Dynasty Crown.
Your dynasty and partner are posted under your class.
To organize your notes, use the following document for information.
Note: For a complete mark out of 25 (20 for the debate and 5 for having completed the chart above) The above chart when completed should be uploaded to Google as per my usual instructions.
Rubric for Chinese Dynasty Smackdown
What Must Be Done Before the Smackdown
First off, this is really a debate, but there are so many teams that you won't be able to attack all of them. So just focus on attacking say three (and do it quickly). This is a learning experience for you. As such I will be seeking to find that you have completed the chart above as part of your preparation. No chart and your team will be penalized on your grade (1/2 point deduction for every box that is incomplete). This is to be done on Google docs. There are also approaches that must also be done on Google docs:
- Why does your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?" and Why doesn't your dynasty deserve to be awarded the "Chinese Dynasty Crown?"
So, three items must be placed on Google docs, the chart, and two long answer questions. You, your partner and I will be the only ones able to edit your documents. Be sure to set up your documents as follows (you have seen this before): Block Your last name Your given name as it appears in Power School and then in parentheses ( ) your English name if you have one and then Smackdown NO COMMAS NO PERIODSHOW THE SMACK DOWN WILL GO DOWN...AND I MEAN YOU'RE "GOING DOWN" (Wait, I am not playing)
OTHER ISSUES OF CONCERN
Japan in the Tokugawa Era
This theme will be an individual effort. You will need to have prepared a Google doc (as you already have). Please give me editing rights. The time frame for this is three classes. An essay outline and quiz to be done at the completion of this theme.
You will have several things to address here. First, you need to have completed your readings in Japan & Korea: A Regional Studies Series (pp. 25-48). Second, you will need to have worked on the DBQs assigned in class. Third, watch the video below, Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire "The Will of the Shogun" (begin watching this at 21:04, "He Spared No One" to the end of this episode). Fourth, go to the Columbia University link at the bottom of this section and take notes on the lectures dealing with "Tokugawa Change". This will help equip you with arguments how isolation can aid in economic development of a nation. From this video, the DBQ work and the reading you should:
Document Based Questions (DBQ)
N.B. Google Doc ALL of the elements. So you don't need to hand in a hard copy for the paragraph.
**Columbia University's Page on Tokugawa Japan or the Edo Period**
Go to the above and listen to the brief lectures on "Tokugawa Change" pay special attention to the evolution of the merchant class.
Korean HistoryTrading Cards for Korean History
Hey this is a whirl-wind of a course. We're in Korea so it is wise that we take a quick peek at its long history. Five thousand years in a speed date event where you present a trading card and explain it. The card is the product. The explanation reminds me of the old saying: "When I teach two learn."
Your class will be creating a timeline of Korean history describing the big events, dynasties, places and people of this incredible history. Let's begin by looking at an interesting history...the history of pizza!
Impressive, right?! I wonder what else Koreans have contributed to the canon of human knowledge and understanding. To begin our study, let's first focus on creating a general time-line of Korean history.
The Journal of Hamel: How Korea's Chosun Era was Seen by The European
Read-Think-Pair-Share
So far you have examined some documents suggesting what life might have been like for a person living in Japan during the Tokugawa Period. The link below is a Dutchman's experience living in Korea from 1653-1666 (See Hamel's Journal and a description of the Kingdom of Korea, 1653-1666). The journal is taken from the writings of Hendrik Hamel.
"The Cultural Work of King Sejong" by Gari Ledyard - Professor of Korean Studies Emeritus Columbia University, New York City
In preparation for the potentiality of your having to write an essay responding to the question, "Should the Yi Dynasty (Chosun Dynasty) be considered the golden age in Korean history?" you will be reading and teaching about the life and times of King Sejong.
What to do:
- Read your section as a member of a 'peer teaching group'.
- Decide on the important points of the reading as a group using the guided questions as aids.
- Prepare a 'mini-lesson' for that section.
- Peer teach your section, and
- Learn the sections of the other students
Guided Questions (as per section). These should help guide your lesson plan for when you peer teach. Note ALL students read section 6